Why Act?

Junk mail has a tremendous negative impact on the environment.

• 100 million trees are destroyed to deliver more than four million tons (62 billion pieces) of junk mail annually to American mailboxes.
• 100 million trees is the equivalent of deforesting the entire Rocky Mountain National Park every four months!
• EPA found in 2003 that only 32% of junk mail was recycled.
• $320 million of local taxes is spent each year in the U.S. to dispose of unwanted junk mail.

Action Steps

Register with the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service to reduce junk mail for only $1!

• Register online at www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailing and pay $1 by credit card, or
• Send a completed Mail-in Registration Form (see below) with a check or money order for $1 to:
  • Mail Preference Service
    P.O. Box 282
    Carmel, NY 10512

Typically, you will see the amount of mail you receive begin to decrease approximately three months after your name is entered on the "do-not-mail" file. Your name remains on the file for five years, after which time you may register again.

Materials

Credit card and use of a personal computer with Internet access.
Or, Mail-In Form, a pen, a check or money order, an envelope and a postage stamp.

Resources

The Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service is a consumer service from this trade association of businesses who advertise their products and services directly to consumers by mail, telephone, magazine, Internet, radio or television.

• Online at www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailing
• Telephone: 212-790-1500

The Center for a New American Dream helps Americans consume responsibly to protect the environment, enhance quality of life, and promote social justice.

• Online at www.newdream.org/junkmail/form.php
• Telephone: 301-891-3683 or 1-877-68-DREAM

41Pounds.org consists of a community of people dedicated to eliminating the 41 pounds of junk mail the average adult in the U.S. receives annually.

• Online at 41pounds.org
• Telephone: 866-417-4141